Rechargeable lithium batteries have found an increasing number of applications in recent years. The possibility to reduce the size of these devices makes them particularly attractive for various applications especially for portable electronic devices. Additionally there are further uses envisioned in the future, particularly in emerging high power applications like portable mechanical tools and hybrid or all-electric vehicles.
The performance of rechargeable lithium batteries depends upon the characteristics of electrodes and materials used therein. The energy density in commercial lithium ion batteries generally decreases as power density increases. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,337,156 and 6,682,849 (incorporated by reference herein in their entirety) describe electrodes for secondary batteries, though it has been observed that the electrodes as disclosed do not often provide satisfactory high power and high energy density levels. Moreover, lithium metal phosphate electrodes as described in EP 1722428 (incorporated by reference herein in its entirety) for secondary batteries in the prior art often display poor rate behavior, and therefore their capacity at high rates, e.g. at 2 C, is often far away from the desired capacity.
Therefore, a need exists for improved high power lithium secondary batteries with good high rate behavior and methods of manufacturing related electrodes therein.